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Google Maps already tracks you; now other people can, too

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google Maps users will soon be able to broadcast their movements to friends and family via the app — the latest test of how much privacy people are willing to sacrifice in an era of rampant sharing.

The location-monitoring feature will begin rolling out Wednesday in an update to the Google Maps mobile app, which is already installed on most of the world’s smartphones.

Google believes the new tool will be a more convenient way for people to let someone know where they are without having to text or call them.

But the ability to turn on location sharing in one of the world’s most popular apps might also cause friction in marriages and other relationships if one partner demands to know where the other is at all times.

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